


The World Will Open Its Arms

by lululawrence



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha Louis, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - American, Diners, M/M, Meet-Cute, Mpreg, Mpreg Harry, No Smut, Omega Harry, Omega Niall, POV Alternating, Pregnancy, unbonded omega
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-17 22:49:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15471840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lululawrence/pseuds/lululawrence
Summary: Harry scrubbed at the countertop. It wasn’t even dirty, but it was three in the morning and the girl who was supposed to relieve him over an hour ago never showed. He was now on hour ten of his shift and his feet hurt and his back ached and he was trying not to cry, thanks to more fucking judgmental alpha truckers who could smelliton him.Of course they could. He practically lived at the diner. The entire place reeked of it.Unbonded pregnant omega.





	The World Will Open Its Arms

**Author's Note:**

> I was gonna go in a completely different direction with this prompt and then I was driving home from dropping my daughter off at day-camp and this came to me. And I knew I had to do it. Luckily I have incredibly supportive friends who went with me on this adventure, so THANK YOU FRONDS!
> 
> Major thank you to [Emmu](http://londonfoginacup.tumblr.com) who always lets me ramble my ideas in voice memos and word vomit messages as I go crazy and to [Molly](http://becomeawendybird.tumblr.com) who wakes up to fics she wasn't expecting in her inbox and is still willing to beta for me when I need it lollll You're a peach. As usual, all remaining mistakes are my own.
> 
> The title comes from In My Own Little Corner from Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. Because I think I'm smart, sometimes, when really I'm just corny. It's okay. You can lie to me and help me feel better. lollll
> 
> This is part of a Wordplay prompt challenge that a group of us are participating in for the prompt "polish". To read the amazing fics that were written by the others on this prompt, [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/polish/works), and to see all fics written as part of the challenge, [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/wordplay_fic_challenge/works) or find the masterpost for this year’s challenge [here](https://wordplayfics.tumblr.com/post/175608230403/wordplay-2018-every-week-a-prompt-is-chosen-using).

_ 3:19 am _

Harry scrubbed at the countertop. It wasn’t even dirty, but it was three in the morning and the girl who was supposed to relieve him over an hour ago never showed. He was now on hour ten of his shift and his feet hurt and his back ached and he was trying not to cry, thanks to more fucking judgmental alpha truckers who could smell  _ it _ on him. 

Of course they could. He practically lived at the diner. The entire place reeked of it. 

Unbonded pregnant omega. 

So, yeah. He continued polishing the counter to within an inch of its life. 

Harry sighed and blinked back his tears as he wiped the back of his hand against his forehead and looked at the only table with a customer still seated. 

The alpha continued to ignore Harry’s presence and sipped his coffee. That was absolutely fine with Harry. The guy could remain on the other side of the diner with his nose scrunched up as much as he wanted as long as he didn’t talk. 

It’ll suck to be left without a tip, though. Again. That always happened with the most judgemental ones. They didn’t want to be seen as helping someone who so obviously fucked up their life. 

With that, Harry turned back to the counter and picked up the water pitcher. He supposed that could do with some polishing too. 

 

*~~***~~*

 

_ 3:24 am _

Louis hoped his sisters appreciated him. They’d woken him up at just past midnight, right after he had finally fallen asleep, begging him to come and check the house because they thought they heard something. Louis always found it amusing that they called him instead of Liam, the nice man who lived next door to them. Louis lived hours away and would be of zero help if there actually was something dangerous in the house.

Normally he would have told them to wake up Dan, their stepdad, and make him see to it, but their mom and stepdad had taken a mini vacation to celebrate hitting five years together. Considering the law didn’t support beta/omega relationships, it was the most they could celebrate until, hopefully, the marriage bill passed next year. Heaven knows they’ve been fighting for it long enough. 

So, with a sigh, he pulled on the first pair of ratty gray sweatpants that didn’t look visibly dirty from the floor and went to rescue his sisters from the incredibly scary tree the wind had rapping against the downstairs windows.

On his way home, Louis left a voicemail for his boss explaining he would be coming in late or just working from home today. He hung up and realized he was incredibly low on gas after three hours of driving. As luck would have it, the signs announcing gas appeared only a minute later, and it was his usual stop. Louis loved Zanesville. They had plenty of gas stations and a twenty-four hour diner that had decent coffee and pie to help perk him up during these late night drives. 

After topping off his tank, Louis turned towards the diner. He’d been yawning too much to allow himself to drive the remaining hour without some caffeine. He wouldn’t be able to sleep the rest of the night anyway, so might as well fuck up his sleeping pattern some more with a coffee.

He made his way across the silent road and pulled into a parking spot near the entrance. As he grabbed his wallet and pulled the keys from the ignition, Louis began to dream of the strawberry rhubarb pie they occasionally had. Maybe he’d get a slice of that as well, while he was at it.

 

*~~***~~*

 

_ 3:32 am _

Harry heard the bell above the door jingle and hoped whoever it was wouldn’t be too mad he wasn’t there to greet them. He just really had to pee. Again. The books weren’t joking when they said you felt like you were going to the restroom nonstop by the time you got to your third trimester. Harry wasn’t waddling yet - he’d be damned if he ever fucking waddled - but he definitely was peeing far more frequently than he was used to.

Washing his hands and rushing out of the employee restroom, Harry heard a loud, “Harry, the hash browns are getting cold. Better get them to table ten before he complains.”

Harry took a deep breath in an attempt to not snap back at Jared, the catty beta who worked the kitchen on overnight shifts. Jared lived for drama and definitely took pleasure is making sure that Harry had the worst shift possible as he felt it was the best entertainment. Even if it was often his comments that were heard by the customers that lead to the most complaints. 

Those hash browns hadn’t been ready for the table when Harry went into the restroom a minute ago. Harry knew for a fact they were still fresh and warm, but now that Jared had planted that seed, that pissy alpha wasn’t going to let Harry be. 

“Thanks, Jared,” Harry said as sweetly as he could manage before grabbing the plate and taking it over to the counter. 

This particular alpha came in at least twice a week during Harry’s shifts and every time loved sitting at the counter, staring and making quiet judgemental comments the entire time, as he ate his damn hash browns with onions and cheese cooked in.

“Would you like a refill on your coffee?” Harry asked as he pulled out his notepad before heading to greet the other new patron. 

The alpha grunted in response, eyeing Harry all the while, and Harry did his best to stand up straight and walk over to the alpha who looked like he was falling asleep in front of the menu.

“Good morning, my name is Harry. What can I get you to drink? Coffee?”

The alpha jolted and Harry tried not to visibly react. Most alphas who came through here smelled sour and overly potent, like the amount of time they spent alone in their various vehicles for whatever work they performed caused them to smell as if they were a food item that had gone slightly past their “best sold by” date. 

This one was nothing of the sort. He smelled light and fresh, if sleepy, and satisfied. It had been so long since Harry had met anyone in this town, much less the diner, who smelled even slightly satisfied with their lives. 

It was incredibly soothing to his sensitive nose and he wanted to roll about in it. And maybe build a nest out of the alpha’s blankets and clothes to curl up in as he slept.

“Oh, uhm,” the alpha said slowly, like Harry had caught him just as off guard. “Well I came in for a coffee and some strawberry rhubarb pie, but I’m now considering something a little more filling. What do you suggest?”

Harry blinked. He hadn’t been asked his opinion on the food they offered possibly ever.

“Well, do you want something savory or sweet?” Harry tucked a stray curl behind his ear and rested his arm on his belly. The baby was kicking again and she was big enough that it hurt if she kicked too hard. Trying to stay focused on the conversation and not what was happening internally, Harry said, “If savory is what you’re looking for, then we have a great sausage biscuit breakfast. If you want something a little lighter and sweeter, then I recommend our cinnamon chip pancakes.”

“Oh, God, those both sound amazing.” The alpha leaned back, his head resting on the back of the booth. 

Harry couldn’t let himself explore the lines of his neck for too long, or he would get too distracted. Instead he looked to the side and found the bin of silverware that needed polishing before it was wrapped in napkins, ready for the next shift. There was always something.

“I think I’m going to go with the sausage biscuit breakfast, please.”

Harry turned back to the alpha and winced as the baby kicked him hard in the ribs. He rubbed it a bit before writing the order down. It was simple enough, but he knew it was entirely possible for him to forget it before he had even walked over to Jared.

“Would you like any milk or creamer with your coffee?”

“No, thank you,” the alpha answered, a kind smile on his face. “My name is Louis, by the way. Nice to meet you, Harry.”

Harry was impressed. Most of the alphas coming through here didn’t bother to learn his name. Louis was definitely different from the rest.

Offering a smile, Harry said, “You too. I’ll get your order in and be back with your coffee.”

 

*~~***~~*

 

_ 3:51 am _

“Harry, this coffee is old. I need you to brew me a fresh pot and get me a new mug. This one will hold the charred taste from this cupful of shit you just gave me.”

Louis felt strongly about not being violent against the elderly. Most of the time he felt like they had earned their anger and bad attitudes simply by surviving as long as they had. 

The old omega sitting in the booth adjacent to Louis was making him reconsider.

“Niall, the coffee I gave you was brewed fresh for Louis here just about ten minutes ago. I promise it is not old or tasting charred unless you always think our coffee tastes charred. You probably just forgot to put your Splenda in it.”

Harry sounded exasperated but fond. Louis felt anything but fond. Niall had been speaking disrespectfully and making demands of Harry from the moment he came in.

Niall harrumphed and Louis watched as he shook a splenda packet before stirring it in and taking a sip. The old man looked at the coffee mug as if it had offended him in some way before quietly saying, “Tastes alright, I guess.”

Louis watched as Harry gave a tired smile to the old man from behind the server’s counter and then sipped some water. He started walking to the booth behind Louis when the bell from the kitchen sounded.

“Biscuits and gravy,” a nasal voice announced. 

Louis could smell Harry’s annoyance.

“That wasn’t the order I placed, Jared, and you know it,” Harry said tersely. Harry had turned his back to the dining room, but Louis could still hear what he said. Of course he could. If Harry wanted this Jared guy to be able to hear anything he said over the sounds of the kitchen he had to be quite loud. “I need you to make the sausage biscuit breakfast for the customer now as well as Niall’s usual oatmeal, please.”

Louis’ eyes widened as Jared shoved the plate through the window at Harry before taking off his hat and saying, “Make it yourself. I’m taking my break.”

Harry barely caught the plate before it fell to the floor. The poor man made a squeak of surprise before catching it, but not before it spilled onto his front. 

“Shit,” Harry said as he immediately reached for some napkins to wipe off his front.

“Are you okay? Did it burn you?” Louis was somehow already out of his seat and halfway to Harry before he even realized it. He stopped before stepping back behind the counter, though. He didn’t want to overstep his boundaries.

“Why do you even care?” the old alpha who had been there, silently drinking a cup of coffee ever since Louis had come in. “He’s just an unbonded omega. A knocked up unbonded omega, no less. You have to smell it on him.”

Louis watched Harry’s face steel as the omega closed his eyes for a second and then continued wiping up his front. Louis shook his head and turned to the other alpha.

“Isn’t that exactly a reason why I should care?” Louis challenged. “Why shouldn’t I be worried about someone being treated poorly by their coworkers, especially if they are pregnant?”

The alpha’s face was contorted in confusion. “But he’s  _ unbonded,”  _ he repeated, as if Louis hadn’t heard him the first time.

“And?” Louis asked.

The alpha hemmed and hawed and then turned back to his newspaper. Louis wished he would leave and bother someone else. 

Turning back to Harry, Louis asked, “Really, are you okay?”

Harry sniffed a little before nodding. “I’m fine. I’ll get your breakfast out to you shortly. Sorry it’ll be a little longer.”

It had already been probably longer than Louis should have had to wait for his food, but it obviously wasn’t Harry’s fault. “That’s fine. No hurry.”

Harry nodded before turning to Niall.  “Niall, it’ll be a few more minutes for your oatmeal.”

“Shawn would have had it ready for me before I even walked in!” the omega countered.

“I know,” Harry said gently, “but unfortunately I’m not as attuned to you as your mate was.”

Niall gave a short nod of understanding, his mouth shaking a little. 

“His alpha passed a few months ago. He’s had a hard time sleeping ever since and often comes in here when he gets lonely,” Harry whispered. “Poor guy. They were together for almost fifty years.”

Louis’ jaw dropped. Fifty years? He had rarely heard of a pair that had been together that long. It was possible, of course, but so rare for a pair to find their mate so young and live so long these days. It was incredibly impressive and made a lot more sense as to Niall’s cantankerous demeanor.

“He’s basically my future goal,” Louis said quietly as he took in the old omega, who now looked like he was trying not to cry into his coffee. “Except I’d like to be the one taking care of his mate the way his used to take care of him.”

Louis heard a sharp intake of breath from Harry before he cleared his throat.

“Yeah. Anyway, I’ll get started on your food. Go ahead and sit down and I’ll have it out to you shortly.”

Louis nodded and went back to his booth, sitting so he could watch Harry work in the kitchen.

 

*~~***~~*

 

_ 5:22 am _

Polish the counter. Once that’s shining, polish the silverware. Once that’s done, polish the tables. Do anything and everything to keep himself distracted so it wouldn’t hurt.

_ I won’t have  _ him _ serving me. _

_ Why won’t he just find some schmuck of an alpha to take care of him so he doesn’t have to be here anymore? _

_ Can you believe he was stupid enough to get pregnant? He had such potential as a boy. _

Harry tried to subtly wipe his cheeks as he scrubbed, scrubbed, scrubbed and the polished, polished, polished. It wasn’t his fault he’d asked someone he thought was a friend to help him through his heat so it would be shorter and he could get back to work sooner. It wasn’t his fault that the condom had broken the one time that  _ friend _ had knotted him. It wasn’t his fault that that  _ friend _ refused to even acknowledge the child was his, and instead spewed lies about Harry to anyone and everyone who would listen before leaving town to do hell knows what in fucking California and leaving Harry alone here.

_ Maybe it’s because his dad left when he was young. Lack of father figures will do that, you know. _

_ I bet it’s because his mother died leaving him to be raised by his flighty omega sister.  _

Harry closed his eyes as the whispers from the old retiree group that came in every Thursday morning at 5:15 washed over him again as he continued to focus on polishing every damn surface of the fucking diner. The diner that was both the only means of existence for him and his soon to be child as well as the main reason for him feeling so tortured all the time.

Yeah, his dad had fucked off when Harry was so young he didn’t remember him at all. Sure, his mom had died when he was only fourteen, leaving his sister to raise him before leaving to finally live her own life far away from this God-awful town. He didn’t begrudge Tasha. She deserved to be happy and he knew she was just following her own dreams. That was exactly why he hadn’t told her about his situation yet. He knew she would give all of it up to come back and take care of Harry, again, and he couldn’t do that to her.

So he polished and he smiled as best he could and he took what miniscule tips he earned every day, no thanks to his coworkers, and did the best he could.

“Don’t listen to them.”

The raspy voice surprised Harry, he was so far entrenched in his own world of polishing and destructive thoughts spurred on by the group on the other side of the diner. The jolt of surprised pulled a muscle in Harry’s back causing him to wince and place a hand to his right side.

“Oh shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Are you alright?”

“Yeah, sudden movements just bother me more right now than usual,” Harry explained quietly. “Gonna sit down for a minute though.”

Louis gripped Harry’s elbow and helped ease him down into the booth. Once Harry was situated, he studied Louis for a minute.

“Why are you still here? You finished eating ages ago.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Harry covered it with his hand as if it could reverse what he’d just said.

Luckily, Louis just burst out laughing. “Oh my God, don’t hold back!”

Harry scrunched his nose and pulled the caddy over from the window to wipe down the menus and condiments as they talked. Everything could do with some polishing, it seemed.

“I haven’t paid yet, though. Didn’t really feel like a dine and dash today.”

Harry’s eyes widened. “Oh my God, did I forget to give you your check? Were you waiting around because of me?” Harry’s mind was in a whirlwind. He didn’t remember giving Louis his check. What the fuck was he thinking? Anyone else would have just left and made Harry foot the bill. Hell, sometimes people did it even when Harry hadn’t forgotten. “I’m so sorry, I wasn’t trying to keep you hostage or anything. You could have just told me or left. Anyone else would have.”

“You gave me my check, I just haven’t paid yet. Don’t worry. I was mainly using it as an excuse to hang around until the end of your shift.”

Harry snorted. “That was over three hours ago before you even got here,” he muttered.

“What? Why are you still here then?”

Harry shrugged. “Martha was a no show. We only have one server on for the overnights. I can’t go home until I’ve been relieved. I should be able to get out of here around seven.”

“Well that’s just another hour and a half, so I’ll stay with you that long.”

Harry watched as Louis stood up and grabbed another cloth from the counter and brought it back to help wipe things down. 

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Harry asked. At first he thought Louis was just being a decent person since he obviously wasn’t from around here, but now he really wanted to know. There had to be an ulterior motive or something.

“Can’t someone just be nice?”

Harry could smell Louis’ scent change slightly. He was being genuine. He was also being a little coy, which Harry found fascinating.

“Yes,” Harry said, with a smile. “But not this nice. This is more than nice. Why are you doing all of this?”

Louis opened his mouth to say something, but Harry’s attention was grabbed by the table of elderly people snapping for his attention. 

Rolling his eyes, Harry said, “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”

Louis smirked and nodded before continuing to wipe down the remainders of the caddy. Harry wanted those answers.

 

*~~***~~*

 

_ 5:48 am _

Louis had moved on to the next table by the time Harry had finished cashing out the only remaining table in the diner.

“You really don’t have to do this, but thank you anyway,” Harry said as he heaved himself down. 

The omega was visibly exhausted and Louis wanted to speak his mind to whoever Martha was for forcing Harry into working a double shift while so pregnant. Louis’ mom used to work long hours while pregnant as well, but she had a partner at home waiting to take care of her afterwards. As far as Louis could tell, Harry didn’t.

“My mom had me as a single omega,” Louis said. He’d been trying to figure out how best to explain why he was acting the way he was with Harry, even just to himself, and he figured a little information about his background might help. “She preferred using the antiquated term of  _ single _ over  _ unbonded.  _ She said she felt the term was less stigmatized. Didn’t stop everyone from being rude, though.”

Harry was sitting still for the first time since Louis had met him. He figured that was permission to continue.

“She raised me on her own despite that with her parents helping as best they could from a few states away. She was about to move back home to Minnesota when she met Mark, my stepdad.” Louis smiled. “He was a beta. She could never bring herself to trust another alpha after what happened with my biological dad, but betas seemed safe. Things with Mark were good, or as good as a B/O relationship can be in this country.”

Harry snorted. “Probably wasn’t much easier than being single with a baby.”

Louis nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah, but she also had someone else to lean on, you know? When the world got tough, they had each other. Well. Until they didn’t.”

Harry stayed quiet before reaching for his rag and started polishing the salt and pepper shakers. 

“A B/O relationship is hard, like any relationship, but Mark was getting pressure from his family. That along with all sorts of other things mean they were fighting pretty much constantly and they ended things when I was around eighteen. Not too long after that she met her partner, Dan.” Louis smiled. “He’s a good man. Also a beta, and he treats her well.”

Harry smiled. “I’m glad she found him.”

“Me too. With Mark my mom had four kids, all girls, all omegas. I was raised by an incredibly strong mother surrounded by sisters who were dealing with all sorts of hardships and societal rules that I didn’t feel made any sense. I saw the way people treated my mom and our family because, despite having a partner, she was still technically an unbonded omega mother.” Louis shook his head. “She didn’t deserve any of the shit she got and I doubt you do either.”

Harry was obviously taking it all in still, but Louis wanted to finish so Harry would understand. 

“You remind me of her. I was a kid when she was going through her hardest times. I wasn’t able to help her then, but I’d like to try to help you at least as much as I can. While I can.”

Harry’s face shifted to something Louis couldn’t read. 

“You don’t even know me.”

“Yeah, but I know you deserve to be treated with kindness just like anyone.” Louis cracked a smile. “Besides. I wanted to punch Niall earlier. You were kind to him even when he was being a total ass.”

Harry laughed heartily, and Louis felt butterflies erupt in his chest. It was the first time he’d seen more than a tiny smile out of Harry. He had  _ dimples. _ They were deep and uneven and beautiful, just like his laugh was a little overloud. It was so distinctly Harry. Louis could tell that even after having known him for just a few hours.

“Niall is an ass. But he doesn’t try to be. He just likes things how he likes them.”

“Don’t we all.”

 

*~~***~~*

 

_ 6:54 am _

The diner was starting to have more steady traffic, as it usually did when people started coming in for breakfast before work. Thankfully the two servers who took over for the morning as well as the hostess had all arrived so Harry was finally able to check out.

“Wait, don’t forget to have me pay,” Louis said, jogging over to the computer where Harry was about to log out.

“Oh please,” Harry said, waving his hand at Louis. “You worked for your food. You’re good.”

Louis emphatically handed over his card with his check. “Nope. You deserve a tip, especially because I know no one other than Niall left you one since I got here.”

“That’s not true,” Harry hedged, but he accepted the card anyway and pulled up Louis’ bill to pay it in the system.

“Two pennies and a bad knock-knock joke from a couple of kids who were high doesn’t count as a tip, Harry.”

Harry chuckled before handing Louis the receipts and a pen. “It was one I hadn’t heard before, though. At least there’s that.”

Louis hummed as he did the math. Covering his receipt, he asked, “Can I give you my number?”

Harry’s eyes widened. “You want to?” He’d secretly been hoping, but he didn’t think there was actually a  _ chance of it happening. _

“Of course I do,” Louis said softly. “You’re incredible. I want to keep getting to know you, if you don’t mind.”

Harry swiped at his eyes, that had started tearing up thanks to the damn pregnancy hormones mixed with pure exhaustion and happiness. “Yeah. I’d love your number.”

Louis beamed at him, and Harry could smell the shift in his scent. He somehow smelled even better than he had before.

“Have a good rest of your day, Harry. Get some rest. I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you.”

And with that, Louis gave Harry a broad smile before making his way out to his car.

Harry watched him leave before finally looking down at the receipts. One had Louis’ number on it, and the other had the tip information Harry would need to turn in. When Harry took in the amount Louis had left, he gasped and went running for the door.

Fine. Not running. But definitely  _ not _ waddling, either.

“Louis!” he called before Louis closed his car door. 

His head popped back out and he just yelled back, “Nope, it’s correct. Don’t fight me! You did enough polishing of the entire diner to have earned twice that much.”

And then he turned on his car and drove away.

Harry looked back down at the receipt before walking back into work to finish closing out and signing off. At least he knew he’d make rent this month.

And, hopefully, a date with a kind alpha.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this! I appreciate your support so much I can't even say. If you liked this, please leave kudos and a comment and, if you're feeling particularly kind, I would be amazingly appreciative if you also reblogged my [fic post here](http://lululawrence.tumblr.com/post/176447778103/the-world-will-open-its-arms-45k-by).


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